I have a 28" and a 30" barrel for my 391 - I use the 28" exclusively - most say I should switch and use the 30" for Trap and the 28" for skeet. The barrels are exactly the same except for the length. I'm thinking if I change barrels it will affect my swing and screw up my overall shooting - so I should stick with one barrel and not do the change thing. Anyone have any expert opinions????
Thanks!!
Greg

Yes ... it will change your swing but it should be very easy to get used to. People also say a longer barrel will give you a longer and better site plane for shooting trap but ... well ... if they say so.

Switch up and use the 30" for trap and the 28" for skeet or use the 30" for both or the 28" for both. Personally I shoot both a 28" and a 30" and it doesnt affect me at all when I switch back and forth.

Generally speaking,,,,,,Length of barrel makes a hell of a differance!!! Not only is the POI changed,,,but the weight of the gun,,,the balance,,,the feel,,,the swing,,,and pattern also changes,,,Your own "natural" point is also affected!!!

But,,,,,like a rifle shooter that knows exactly how high/low the bullet will strike at any given distance above/below his LOS (line of sight),,,it can be easy to overcome or impossible!!!!

As the Latin phrase says,,"know thyself",,,you must also "know" your gun!!!

Ballistically, there should be no difference between the two barrel lengths. There will be a difference is swing to the bird. I tend to jerk a short barrel to the bird. For me, 32 inches is the shortest barrel I would consider for trap and 34 is better than 32.

I remember some guys telling an older genteman from our club that his 28 inch barrel was too short until he shot a 99 in handicap with it. All things being equal the best length is the one you like teh best. 2 inches isn't going to give you an improperly pointed target. I like 30's but I sold a 28 inch Remoington factory Big bore to a friend and he has a 98% singles average with it. Shoot what you like is what I am trying to say... Jeff

I, too, believe that barrel length has very little to do with
scores. As to the reason that more folks are shooting 28" and
longer for skeet, I believe that the Sporting Clays shooting
has a lot to do with that. For similar reasons as above, many
folks have started using longer barrels for Sporting Clays. To
prevent having many different guns, the compromise is to use a
slightly longer barrel for skeet. When I do shoot those pesky
'skeeter' birds, I still use the same 26" barrel length I started
with back in 1959. I prefer the short barrel for the quick
swings needed for skeet doubles. I just like the longer sighting
plane for Trap, it's purely a matter of choice. Shoot what you
feel most comfortable with. A full choke pattern is a full choke
pattern, if shot from a 28" or a 34" barrel. Remington did a
study on that many years ago and found that once a barrel gets
to be about 20" long, the same constriction gives the same pattern,
regardless of length. Heck, I know a guy who shoots trap with
one of those Metro barrels on his 870. He just has to call for
the bird pretty quick, he gets tired of holding that much weight
out there that long......

I did shoot a few 34" and several 32" barrel length guns before settling with the 30". I might have got used to the longer barrels but i found the 34 getting in my way so to speak. 30" just felt good and natural. I went with browning XT 30". Good all around length for me.

I have shot a 34" barrel for years with the exception of when I was shooting an 1100 which had a 30" but because of the reciever making it longer it measured close to the same as a break open with a 34" barrel ... I prefer a 34" barrel because I am used to it and do not believe that a 32" barrel would pattern any differently that a 34" barrel because of the 2" difference ... My Father was big on testing everything and he did test patterns with a 32", 34", as well as the barrel on my old 1100 and the only difference was probably from the shell or constriction of the barrels themself because like shotgun shells no two barrels shoot exactly alike ... I feel that a shorter barrel will swing faster because it has less length to move to the targets, just the opposite of the longer barrels ... How much of a differnce is anybody's guess ... WPT ... (YAC) ...

nope irfner, point and shoot right. its all a comfort zone thing. I hate porting....can anyone deport a barrel? best bet try as many guns as you can. For a case of estates i had sevral guns at my finger tips with one clause if it breaks i fix or buy. found out i dont like 34" barrels. just dont like them!

There is no difference in barrels from 26 inchs to 34 inchs. There will be some differences in the POI of diffent barrels and manufacters. Some might be a little to left or right or high or low a few inches. Just shoot the barrel you have been shooting.You are used to it by now.The choke is what gives you the pattern not barrel lenth.You do have a longer sighting plane with a longer barrel.Even different chokes in the same gun can change your POI.somewhat. Good Luck. Break-em all. Jeff

My Ljutic has a 33" bbl...I shot a Monogun once with a 32" bbl. and although stock fit was OK, the gun felt a bit light on the front end and I couldn't hit my A$$ with it...and for those who know me...that's a big target!!

It is still assumed by many that the longer the shotgun barrel the farther the gun will shoot, the more effectively it will perform, and the more closely it will pattern. The facts are, however, whatever the gauge, barrel length has small effect on the velocity of the shot charge. With modern powders, the shot charge reaches maximum velocity after it has traveled a relatively short distance up the barrel bore. (So longer length of barrel does not make the pellets move faster or go farther.) Since the degree of choke controls the pattern of the shot at the target, proper barrel length is entirely a matter of desired weight, balance, and sight radius.

I just ordered a 30" barrel for my Browning Gold Sporting Clays Model to shoot some trap. I have been shooting with a 28" barrel for four years. I use to always shoot trap with a 30" barrel full choke back when I was young and could hit targets naturally instead "working" at it...